Art of condensing metallic zinc from the vapors or fumes arising in the process of



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E. WALSH, Jr.

ART OF GONDENSING METALLIC ZINC FROM THE VAPORS 0R. FUMES ARISINGIN THEPROGESS OF ZI'NG SMELTING.

N0. 389,618. Patented Sept. 18, 1888.

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E. WALSH, Jr.

ART OF OONDENSING MBTALLIGZING FROM THE VAPOBS 0R PUMES ARISING IN THEPROCESS OF ZINC SMBLTING.

No; 389,618. Patented Sept. 18, 1888;

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EDWARD WALSH, JR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ART OF CONDENSING METALLIC ZINC FROM THE VAPORS 0R FUMES ARISING IN THEPROCESS OF ZINC-SMELTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,618, datedSeptember 18, 1888.

Original application filed May 17, 1886, Serial No. 202,425. Divided andthis application filed November 11, 1887. Serial No. 254,929. (Nomodel.) Patented in France June 14, 1887, No. 184,211; in England June15, 1887, No, 8,599; and in Belgium June 16,

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD WALSH, J r., a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of CondensingMetallic Zinc from the Vapors or Fumes Arising in the Pro cess ofZinc-Smelting, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in GreatBritain, No. 8,599,0f June 15, 1887; in Belgium,No. 77,818, of June16,1887, and in France,No.184,2l1, of June 14,1887 5) and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesaid invention.

In Letters Patent No. 364,979, granted to me June 14, 1887, I have setforth and described an economical and expeditious process by which zincore in large quantities may be reduced and volatilized for obtainingmetallic zinc directly therefrom. Said process briefly stated consistsin reducing the zinc in the presence of carbon, (in a cupola or likefurnace,) whereby the gases and zinc vapor are generated, then passingthe mixed gases and vapor through a body of carbon or carbonaceousmatter maintained at a high temperature, (about 1,400 Fahrenheit, moreor less,) whereby any carbonic acid present is reduced tocarbonicoxide,and further oxidation of the zinc is prevented, andfinally condensing the zinc vapor and obtaining the metallic zinctherefrom.

My present invention,which is a further step in the art, is mostadvantageously and eco nomicallypracticed in connection with thereducing process described in my Letters Patent No. 364,979, abovereferred to and recited; but is equally applicable to the condensationof metallic zinc from zinc vapor however obtained.

Generally and broadly stated the present invention consists, first, inwithdrawing the zinc vapor and associated gases from the furnace inwhich they are generated, and permitting them to expand in a condenserwhich is maintained at a temperature above the melting and below thevolatilizing or vaporizing point of zinc,

whereby the zinc vapor and associated gases separate by gravity, and thedifference in expansion causes the fixed gases to rob the zinc vapor ofheat and condense or reduce the zincto a liquid condition.

I The second feature of my present invention consists in utilizing thefixed gases for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of theexpansion and condensing chamber by the combustion of the said fixedgases beneath the condenser.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more specifically so thatothers skilled in the art to which it appertains mayapply the same.

In carrying out the invention any suit-able condensing-chamber may beused,provided its general construction will permit of expansion of thegases and vapors and their separation by gravity as well as bycondensatiomand provided also that said expansion and condensing chamberis so constructed as to allow of its being maintained at a temperatureat or above the melting-point of zinc.

For purposes of description I- have made part of this application adrawing showing one (the preferred) form of expansion, separating,andcondensing chamber, and will now briefly describe the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section oftheinclosi ng-chamber, showing a condensing apparatus which may be usedfor carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectionof the same on the line 1 1, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aseetional view of theouter or inclosing chamber, with plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 4 isatransverse vertical section of the separator and condenser on the line2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 an end view,of the outlet or discharging-pipe for withdrawing and regulating thedischarge of the liquid zinc from the condenser.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

The separating-chamber and condenser ICO The vessels or chambers A A areconnected and communicate with each other by means of inverted-U-shapedpipes D, which rise vertically in the flue B, and are arranged parallelwith each other at suitable intervals.

E indicates an inductioirpipe or adit for the admission of the mixtureof zinc vapors and gas to the condenser, and said pipe is connected withthe vessel A in front of the connccting-pipes D. At the opposite end ofthe apparatus and connected with the opposite end of the vessel orchamber A, behind the pipes D, is an cduction-pipe, F, for the exit ofthe fixed gases.

Connecting with the lowest and narrowest portions ofthe vessels orchambers A A, and projecting from the ends thereof through the brickworkof the chamber, which incloses the vessels A A, are discharge-pipes H H,opening at their outer ends into the external air.

For regulating the discharge of the liquid zinc from the chambers A A, Isurround the condenser end of each pipe H with a fillet or flange, J,having a slot, K, through its lower portion. Against the outer face ofthis fillet or flange J bears a circular plate, L, through which is acorresponding slot or opening, M, the plate L being provided with acentral spindle, N, terminating in a handle, 0, by means of which theplate L may be rotated from the outside of the open front end of pipe H,so as to bring the slot or opening M of disk L over the slot K, forpermitting the discharge of the liquid zinc, and bringing the solidportion of plate or disl: L over the opening K for shutting off thedischarge of the liquid zinc from the condenser.

The condenser or entire apparatus is inclosed in a chamber or furnace,preferably of brick-work, 0, having a flue orfire-space, G, below and acondenser-flue, B, above, the two being connected by a series ofpassages, I.

By means such as described, or any other suitable equivalents, theprocessis carried out as follows: According to the best authorities themelting-point of zinc is about 782 Fahrenheit, and its volatilizing orvaporizing point about 1,200 Fahrenheit, and the mixed zinc vapors andgases will escape from the reducing and volatilizing furnaces at about],400 to l,500 Fahrenheit. The separating and condensing chamber, intowhich the gases cscape from the furnace, is to be maintained at atemperature above the melting-point and below the volatilizing-point ofzinc, and Iprefer that the temperature of the condenser should never beallowed to fall below 782 Fahrenheit or rise above 1,200 Fahrenheit.This temperature of the condensing-chamber may be maintained by suitablefires, or the combustion of the waste carbonic-oxide gases in fireilueG, or by currents of heated air, though I prefer to use the heat of thewaste gases, as will hereinafter appear, which heat will, under allordinary conditions, be sufficient in itself.

The condenser being raised and maintained at a point between thetemperature hereinbefore specified, the zinc vapor, carbonic oxide, andother associated gases generated in a suitable reducing and volatilizingfurnace, are conducted from said furnace by pipe E into theexpansion-chamber A of the condenser, where they are permitted to expandand the fixed gases allowed to separate from the zinc vapor by gravity.During this expansion and separation the fixed gases, and any vapors notreadily condensible at the temperatures of molten zinc, will abstractheat from the zinc vapor, and the zinc vapor will thereby be reduced toa liquid condition and be precipitated and retained in chamber A, fromwhich the liquid zinc can be withdrawn through the valve L and pipe H ofthat chamber from time to time, as desired. The fixed gases, havingabsorbed heat from the zinc vapor, will pass from the chamber A throughinverted- Ll-pipes D (of which there should be enough to accommodate theexpanded gases) into chamber A, where a further expansion of the heatedfixed gases is permitted, which will enable them to free themselves fromany remaining zinc vapor not precipitated in chamber A. From chamber Athe heated fixed gases which have absorbed the heat of the zinc vaporpass off through ednction-pipe F, and may then be utilized in severalways. First, they may be conducted to and burned in fire-flue G by anyof the many well-known ways of burning gaseous fuel, or they may beconsumed in a separate furnace adapted to heat air for maintaining thetemperature of the condenser; or, second, they may be conducted directlyfrom pipe F to any suitable storage-place and utilized in many ways wellknown in theart. In this latter case separate provision for maintainingthe temperature of the condenser would have to be provided.

I. do not herein claim the above-described apparatus, as the same formsthe subject-matter of an application, Serial No. 202,425, filed by meMay 17, 1886.

Having thus described the nature, opera tion, and advantages of myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 151--1.. The method herein described for condensing zinc vapor into liquidzine, which consists'in withdrawing the zinc vapors and associate gasesfrom the volatilizing-furnace and permitting them to expand and separateby gravity in a condenser the temperature of which is maintained at apoint above the melting-point and below the vaporizing-point of zinc,whereby the fixed gases absorb heat from and liquefy the zinc vapors,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. As an improvement in the art of condensing zine vapors, withdrawingthe zinc vapors and associate gases from the volatilizingfurnace,permitting them to expand and separate by gravity in a condenser, thetemperature of which is maintained at a point above the melting-point ofzinc, whereby the fixed In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature, ingases absorb heat from and liqnefy the zinc presence of two witnesses,this 9th day of No vapors, and causing the combustion 'beneath vember,1887.

the condenser of the fixed gases, which have EDWARD WALSH, Jr. 5absorbed heat from the zinc vapors to main- \Vitnesses:

tain the heat thereof, substantially as and for S. L. SGHRADER,

the purposes specified. PAUL BAKEWELL.

